Keeping the Shadows at Bay
by Tani Barton
Summary: [The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass] A short FreeFall perspective on his death and what happened afterward.


Keeping the Shadows at Bay  
By Tani

Fandom: Miscellaneous Novels  
Rating: PG  
Summary: A short FreeFall perspective on his death and what happened afterward.  
Warnings: Violence  
A/N: This was part of my English Midterm, but I liked it and thought I'd post it. It's fanfiction for The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass. I've only read the first book of the series, and maybe this is explained in a later book, but this is my take on what happened to FreeFall after he was killed. It picks up taking a bit of the book from FreeFall's point of view, and then branches off into what I think happened to him. The dream sequence is done in the same block format as they all are in the book, so I have an excuse for being lazy. - Anyway, please read and review if you're willing! Thanks!

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FreeFall tensed as the belligerent man approached, instinctively readying himself for flight. By meeting Axis when he was so isolated they had hoped to avoid any confrontation between themselves and this man, this Borneheld. It was too late to flee now though, as several of the Groundwalker soldiers had arrows trained on the three of them. They'd just have to rely upon Axis to keep them safe. This was a terribly touchy situation though, and FreeFall wasn't sure they could get out of it alive.

FreeFall did his best to ignore the insults that Borneheld heaped upon them, willing HoverEye and SpikeFeather to remain calm and not do something to endanger everything. He strove to remain diplomatic despite the deep sense of insult he was feeling. Axis was getting edgy as nothing seemed able to persuade Borneheld from his course. FreeFall, afraid he was going to do something rash, turned to him to try to placate him, deliberately placing his back to Borneheld in order to show his trust. "Axis," he said softly, "you must not..."

He wasn't allowed to finish his sentence though. Borneheld's angry words cut him off. "I give you this for your damned Prophecy!" he cried, and FreeFall felt a searing pain in his back that pierced his entire body, too awful for him to even scream in pain. Looking down, he saw to his horror the point of Borneheld's sword sticking out slightly from his own chest. Then the sword point disappeared as Borneheld pushed against the small of his back in order to pull his sword free.

FreeFall stumbled forward into Axis' arms, unable to hold himself up now that the sword was gone. "You're next, brother," he dimly heard Borneheld say in a menacing tone.

FreeFall's vision was already going gray when Axis looked down at him. He could see the look of horrified shock on Axis' face and wished he could somehow reassure Axis that he would be all right, but he knew that would be a lie. EvenSong . . . he thought, wishing he'd had more time with the woman he loved.

He couldn't think about it too much though. There was something he desperately needed to tell Axis, a way for him to come back. He had to struggle against his pain, his failing consciousness, and the blood that was beginning to bubble from his mouth in order to get the words out, but this was of the greatest importance. "Find StarDrifter, Axis," he whispered. "The Ferryman owes you, Axis. Learn the secrets and the mysteries of the waterways and bring me home! I will wait at the Gate. Bring me home to EvenSong! Promise!"

"I promise," he heard Axis say softly, but he found he couldn't answer, his body become suddenly stiff and unresponsive. Then, between one moment and the next he suddenly found himself floating upwards as if a great weight that he'd never even noticed before had been removed. He glanced down in alarm only to cry out in dismay at the sight that met his eyes. He was floating at least a foot above his own body.

Now what? he thought unhappily. What happens after you die? I mean, sure your soul goes to cross through the Star Gate, but how?

As he thought a pulling overcame his entire being and he began to involuntarily drift to the side. Looks like I'm going to find out, he thought wryly.

He glanced at the grief-stricken faces of the people he'd been with just moments before and watched as Belial shooed off HoverEye and SpikeFeather to safety in the clear skies before once again turning his attention to himself.

The pulling was growing more insistent by the moment, and while he wanted to resist, to remain among the living, he knew it was of the utmost importance that he should arrive at the Star Gate before Axis. He had no idea how he was to accomplish this, although he had a feeling that this pulling was part of it.

With one last reluctant glance at the scene he had just left, he stopped resisting the pull, and even aided it by willing himself in the direction it was coming from. As his mind turned from the living to the destination of the dead he picked up speed.

Looking down he saw the skraelings still massing in destroyed Gorkentown, readying themselves for whatever move their Lord had in mind for them. Be safe, he wished back to his cousin Axis in a silent prayer sent out to the stars. All depends upon you.

And then he was past Gorkentown, flying over the Plainsland and south toward where he assumed the Star Gate was. He couldn't believe how smoothly he was floating now that wings and winds and such no longer hindered him. He would never look at flying in the same way again. He continued forward, picking up speed so much that he could no longer stand to look at what was passing below, for while he couldn't actually be physically ill it was still possible for him to feel like he was going to be.

Instead he thought of the people he left behind. He thought of Axis his newly met cousin, of EvenSong his beloved, of his father, and of his mother. Time flew almost as quickly as he did, for a short while later he passed over the Fernbrake Lake, home to the EarthMother, and then short minutes after that he found himself heading directly toward the center of a great group of mounds of earth. He eyed them a little doubtfully as his compulsion was urging him directly toward them, but in the end decided it was safe. After all, he was dead. What could hurt him?

His ethereal form passed right through the earth, and when he finally reached open space again he was deep underground. He was no long being pulled forward except by a slight tug from below him, so he disregarded it in order to survey his surroundings. He was in a beautiful room illuminated by eerie blue light. Twenty-six statues of Icarii men that he knew instinctively were the first Enchanter-Talons graced the borders of the room, acting as pillars of sorts. The ceiling was made of white marble and blue shadows danced across it with a life of their own. Most amazing of all though, was what he saw in the middle of the room. The Star Gate. It was a circular pool that contained not water, but the purest picture of the universe imaginable. Beside this even the clearest starriest night paled to a mere shadow. Within the Gate was the very essence of the Star Dance, his religion. It was all he could do to stop himself from entering it at that moment.

He gently let himself float down to the floor, keeping a good distance between himself and the Star Gate. He couldn't allow temptation to overcome him, for once he entered the Star Gate he would never return. Almost he could say he wouldn't care as long as he was part of that wonderful sight, but his common sense whispered that wasn't true, and he heeded it, for he wasn't through living yet. Someday he would surely enter the Star Gate, but he still had his whole life ahead of him as soon as Axis rescued him. For now he had to concentrate on resisting.

Purposely ignoring the center of the room, he instead glanced around at his other surroundings. The statues were all amazing, perfect representations of his race. One especially caught his attention though. The ninth. There was nothing different about the statue itself, but he had heard so many tales about this particular Enchanter-Talon that he couldn't help but be curious, and anything that distracted him from the Star Gate had to be a good thing. His Uncle StarDrifter had been deeply troubled by the news that this Enchanter-Talon was the one who caused such a large rift between the Icarii and the Charonites. He sighed, for thoughts of StarDrifter always led to thoughts of EvenSong. He missed her terribly, and he hadn't even been dead for that long. Or had he?

Time was different in this sacred place. Perhaps months had already passed in the outside world and he would soon be returning. Perhaps Axis was already on his way. That thought cheered him up considerably.

He shrugged, then yawned. Hmm. Who knew that you could get tired even while you were dead? Wasn't death supposed to rid a person of all earthly needs? FreeFall stiffened as an alarming thought ran through his head. What if one had to exist on their own energy while dead until crossing over? What if one would just fade away from lack of a way to replenish their energy unless they crossed over? "This can't be good," he said to himself unhappily. "Maybe if I try to sleep. . . After all, if you can be tired then you must be able to sleep."

Feeling slightly reassured he let himself sink to the ground at the ninth Enchanter-Talon's feet. Sleep, he thought firmly to himself as he closed his eyes. An eternity seemed to pass before he could calm his thoughts enough to get to sleep, but eventually he did drift off to sleep.

_FreeFall was in a silent place where the darkness was so deep that he couldn't even tell whether or not he had his eyes open, much less what sort of place it was. In fact, instead of darkness it might be better described as a complete lack of light. A sudden noise made him freeze, terror running through his heart. He had a very bad feeling about this . . . As if in answer to his thought two glowing red eyes appeared in front of him. FreeFall took an involuntary step backwards at their hate-filled intensity. He desperately wanted to turn and run, knowing that this was the most dangerous situation he'd been in during the course of his life. He couldn't seem to tear his eyes from the sight in front of him though. The eyes were slowly beginning to emit a steadily brighter glow, and the darkness was not receding but rather congregating, gathering into a shape that looked suspiciously like a cloaked man. FreeFall watched as the red glow grew throughout the area, revealing a figure with large horns and a hate-filled face to match the eyes. When the light fell over him FreeFall couldn't help but cry out at the malevolent presence of it. The light grew and grew, revealing a shattered wasteland that FreeFall recognized with horror as the remnants of the once mighty Avarinheim Forest. And still FreeFall couldn't tear his eyes away from the creature before him that he now knew to be Gorgrael. "Cousin," said Gorgrael. "You will join me. Together we could be great." To his horror, Freefall found himself tempted even though he knew this was just another of Gorgrael's terrible powers. "No," he managed to choke out. "Why?" Such terrible menace hung behind the words that FreeFall almost couldn't find it within him to reply. He managed though. "Can't." "Cannot or will not?" "They are but one and the same. I cannot and I will not." Then, with a supreme effort of will, FreeFall tore himself away, Gorgrael's scream of rage following him all the way._

FreeFall woke with a start. He felt so relieved to find himself in the real world that he nearly burst into tears. "I'm so weak. I nearly failed you EvenSong."

Getting off the ground, he floated over to the Star Gate, hoping to gain some peace of mind from it. He still felt troubled though, even gazing upon its great beauty. "What am I to do?" he whispered desperately. "How am I to survive?"

It came to him then, like a gift from the Star Gate itself, lifting a great weight from his soul. Memories. He could use his memories to keep evil at bay! He sent a silent prayer of thanks to the stars, joy filling his entire being. Then he settled down to wait for Axis to come rescue him, and to remember.

The End.


End file.
